I've gone to a few gunshows in the past few months and I am being dissapointed. I like to see the WW II stuff and the books and such but the last one I went to was fair at best. I mean you PAY up to $7 to get in AND I had to pay $5 to park and take a shuttle bus to the exhibit hall! I hardly found anything that I wanted. Not even cleaning supplies! Maybe I'm just venting here but how have YOU faired lately at a show? I not looking for exotic items usually 5.56mm and Ar-15 20rd mags. Some of the prices they have charged since 9/11 I just laugh to myself and walk away. Also the money you waste in gas(I have an SUV `nuff said). I know that gun shows are threatened by regulations and the nonexistant "gun show loophole" if they keep this up they may put themselves out. I know that ones mans junk is another mans gem but still. Opinions welcomed and requested. Thanks Gang! As always......DAROGUE1
Gunshows....Worth it??
- Thread starter darogue1
- Start date
For the most part, shows I have been to in the past few months have not been worth it at all.
The Ft Washingtoon show was ok at best for me. I saw Romainian SKS's priced at $300
The only "good" deal I noticed were Yugo SKS's at $170, those looked beat up though.
SAR1's were going for 325 or so... Not too bad I guess?
Ammo was $$$$$$, it is less at walmart for some of the stuff I was looking for.
The Ft Washingtoon show was ok at best for me. I saw Romainian SKS's priced at $300
The only "good" deal I noticed were Yugo SKS's at $170, those looked beat up though.
SAR1's were going for 325 or so... Not too bad I guess?
Ammo was $$$$$$, it is less at walmart for some of the stuff I was looking for.
Gun Shows
In all the gun shows I've attended over the last 3-4 years, I've only made three real good buys on guns. I seldom find any bargains. In some cases I believe some of the dealers have bought all the junk they can't sell in their shops and then have the nerve to ask "High Prices" for it. You can usually find some good ammo buys though and maybe a few accessories you've been looking for. I never go to a gun show with high expectations.
As fas as I'm concerned, It's a good way to spend a rainy, crappy boring Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
In all the gun shows I've attended over the last 3-4 years, I've only made three real good buys on guns. I seldom find any bargains. In some cases I believe some of the dealers have bought all the junk they can't sell in their shops and then have the nerve to ask "High Prices" for it. You can usually find some good ammo buys though and maybe a few accessories you've been looking for. I never go to a gun show with high expectations.
As fas as I'm concerned, It's a good way to spend a rainy, crappy boring Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
The Plainsman
New member
My experience at gunshows has taught me the same thing that any dealings with any merchant, should teach - caveat emptor - "Let the buyer beware". However, that said, I've not had any bad experiences at any gunshows. I've bought several guns, a few "accessories" and lots of ammo, and I've always gotten what I thought I was getting, and paid for.
Overall,, I think the vast majority of gunshow vendors are good folks, making a buck the way they most enjoy it, with no malice aforethought toward any potential customer. They're right up front about their prices and the quality of their merchandise. If a customer pays their price and then finds the same product down the aisle at a lower price, that doesn't make the first seller a "crook". It ought to teach the buyer to shop a little better, but in most cases, the buyer still got a decent product for a decent price, just not the best price.
Just be careful, have fun, and enjoy the scenery.
What "gunshow loophole"? .
Overall,, I think the vast majority of gunshow vendors are good folks, making a buck the way they most enjoy it, with no malice aforethought toward any potential customer. They're right up front about their prices and the quality of their merchandise. If a customer pays their price and then finds the same product down the aisle at a lower price, that doesn't make the first seller a "crook". It ought to teach the buyer to shop a little better, but in most cases, the buyer still got a decent product for a decent price, just not the best price.
Just be careful, have fun, and enjoy the scenery.
What "gunshow loophole"?
. A bad day at a gunshow is better than the best day at work. Where else can you personally interact with hundreds, if not thousands, of potential buyer/sellers in one place. Online shopping/selling is OK, but I like to hold something in my hand prior to buying. Besides... where else can you stand in line, in the rain, for 30 minutes, to buy a $5 bratwurst?
"As fas as I'm concerned, It's a good way to spend a rainy, crappy boring Saturday or Sunday afternoon"
That is pretty much my view on it also. I see very little there that I would buy. You never know, I occasionally see something I can't live without. I sometimes buy a new pocket knife, a book or something. I have absolutely no interest in anything "tactical" or in the shotgun shells loaded with chain or any of that crap which is about 80% of the show. Mainly I run into a lot of people I don't see anywhere else. Guys I used to work with, guys I used to shoot with (I moved about 80 miles from the nearest gun show) etc. At our local gun shows they sell beer, so I buy a cold one and talk guns, look at guns and general have a relaxing day. I enjoy them and plan on contiuing to got to them, but as far as buying, that is the least of it.
That is pretty much my view on it also. I see very little there that I would buy. You never know, I occasionally see something I can't live without. I sometimes buy a new pocket knife, a book or something. I have absolutely no interest in anything "tactical" or in the shotgun shells loaded with chain or any of that crap which is about 80% of the show. Mainly I run into a lot of people I don't see anywhere else. Guys I used to work with, guys I used to shoot with (I moved about 80 miles from the nearest gun show) etc. At our local gun shows they sell beer, so I buy a cold one and talk guns, look at guns and general have a relaxing day. I enjoy them and plan on contiuing to got to them, but as far as buying, that is the least of it.
Poodleshooter
New member
Around my area, gunshows save me a considerable amount of money on 3 things: surplus foreign military C&R type weapons, bulk ammo, and reloading components.
Gunshops in my area seem to buy their supplies from the same people I do. This is the only way I can explain the margins on these items that I see in local shops.
Sure, there is only 1 good table for every 4 tables that waste my time, but I have always found the best bargains at large gunshows. (small gunshows usually suck OTOH)
Gunshops in my area seem to buy their supplies from the same people I do. This is the only way I can explain the margins on these items that I see in local shops.
Sure, there is only 1 good table for every 4 tables that waste my time, but I have always found the best bargains at large gunshows. (small gunshows usually suck OTOH)
agree with some of this....
If it is a crappy weekend or there is nothing else to do I will go. Just to see what is out there. Hopefully I will find what I need this weekend. 444.....Beer at a gun show that is different Not in my area! Althought my gun club has a liquor licence Yes I do believe that it is buyer beware. I usually walk around the show once and then remember where the tables are where I would like to buy things then go back and start buying. Anybody else do this of have "tactics" for scouting out a show? Keep it comming guys. JMLV...See my post in the live fire exercises about the KOP gun show. Maybe a meet is possible depending when you are going. Let me know. Now where is the line for the $5 Bratwurst DAROGUE1
If it is a crappy weekend or there is nothing else to do I will go. Just to see what is out there. Hopefully I will find what I need this weekend. 444.....Beer at a gun show that is different
Not in my area! Althought my gun club has a liquor licence Yes I do believe that it is buyer beware. I usually walk around the show once and then remember where the tables are where I would like to buy things then go back and start buying. Anybody else do this of have "tactics" for scouting out a show? Keep it comming guys. JMLV...See my post in the live fire exercises about the KOP gun show. Maybe a meet is possible depending when you are going. Let me know. Now where is the line for the $5 Bratwurst DAROGUE1I find gun show mostly to be junk shows/flea markets. You can buy everything from new windows for your house to beanie babys/targets. You have to know what you want and what's the going price for it. They jack up the prices on everything. Most of the stuff you can get through Midway for half the price if not lower. This is the worst place to be a impulsive buyer. You can lose big time!! I do find it to be a good place to buy reloading supplies, primes by the case and powder. Buying primers or powder through the mail is expensive, due to the hazardous charges. It is a good place to trade in a old gun you one longer shoot for something else, if you can find a descent gun dealer with a good selection.
I Have Fared Well
At the last fairly large gunshow I attended (Bealton VA), I found a Colt Defender AND a Winchester 100 I'd been hunting for several months. Great prices on both, even got a real nice hand-tooled sling with the rifle. I'll admit, this was an anomaly but, hey, you don't catch a fish unless you put a line in the water.
At the last small gun show I attended (Dale City VA) I bought some Craftsman handtools I needed at an excellent price.
Can't say I typically find much real value on the guns at gun shows but I like 'em nonetheless.
At the last fairly large gunshow I attended (Bealton VA), I found a Colt Defender AND a Winchester 100 I'd been hunting for several months. Great prices on both, even got a real nice hand-tooled sling with the rifle. I'll admit, this was an anomaly but, hey, you don't catch a fish unless you put a line in the water.
At the last small gun show I attended (Dale City VA) I bought some Craftsman handtools I needed at an excellent price.
Can't say I typically find much real value on the guns at gun shows but I like 'em nonetheless.
It depends. The regular gun show at the expo center is across the state line so I am limited to long guns and supplies. It's average but I don't often see things that make me jump up and down like a kid at Christmas.
On the other hand, the last show I went to was the Machine Gun Shoot & Military Show at Knob Creek, so that one was definitely worth the $$$.
On the other hand, the last show I went to was the Machine Gun Shoot & Military Show at Knob Creek, so that one was definitely worth the $$$.
In the Richmond, VA area there are two promoters, using two locations. The 'oldest' -- the one at the Fairgrounds (now the Richmond Raceway Complex) put a bunch of prior restrictions on the exhibitors (essentially non compete clauses) presumed to hold their monopoly.
Praise Sam Adams! Competition works. Their arrogance caused the vendors to disappear and a different promoter found a bigger and better arena, which (big news here!) draws more vendors, making the attendance higher, which draws more vendors ... etc. The old one withers, but it's mostly a Civil War exposition, and Richmond will never forget the Northern War of Aggression. (Local joke -- Monument Avenue, which has many statues of Confederate Generals and heroes is reputed to be the largest collection of Second Place Trophies in America) ... the natives don't laugh at that.
There are a couple of local shops that I will use as first choice if they aren't too overpriced. But one of them is too big to be bothered with special orders or checking with their suppliers ('we might have some on order, I don't know for sure') to handle products they don't normally stock. Now a firearm purchase is non-trivial to me, and I don't want to subjected to a take-it-or-leave-it attitude from a kid who only shaves on Sundays.
The vendors at the (new, big) show run the gamut from one-shot individuals (just exploiting that loophole to arm al-Quaeda with their old worn-out JC Higgins 16 gauge), to the larger traveling vendors who live on the road 45 weeks a year.
Yep, you can see an occasional NFA Type III display with commensurate price tags, but usually the biggest and baddest items are de-mil'd props (you know, like in da movies, Senator). Now a few years ago, the PC crowd used a d*mn BatMan comic book to stampede a one-gun-a-month law onto the books (which didn't push Doug Wilder onto the national political scene like he'd hoped), about as effective at stopping DC criminals as you'd expect. Earlier, at a couple of shows I actually bought more than one gun (gasp!). Closed that loophole. DC is a paradise now, yessir!
So yeah, the gun shows are worth it (one of them, 5 times a year) for me to actually see and compare various guns and such, as well as ogle the odd English double or get a close look at a Wilson Combat 1911.
Bargains? Sometimes. But some of these pieces can't be had at all in the local market (and I'm not picking on the local merchants, they stock what sells -- according to their sales history), so if it's a fair value, I'll buy at the show (wallet permitting).
The shows are a marvelous example of capitalism in action, which is why the socialists are so upset. Unrestrained (no sales tax either) sale of one's personal property - this loophole is a threat to the all-seeing all-taxing gummint. The other guys with the licenses, well they have Brady to deal with.
I attend the shows because it causes Chuck Schumer's knickers to get wadded up, even if I don't buy anything. That's a good reason, to start with.
Praise Sam Adams! Competition works. Their arrogance caused the vendors to disappear and a different promoter found a bigger and better arena, which (big news here!) draws more vendors, making the attendance higher, which draws more vendors ... etc. The old one withers, but it's mostly a Civil War exposition, and Richmond will never forget the Northern War of Aggression. (Local joke -- Monument Avenue, which has many statues of Confederate Generals and heroes is reputed to be the largest collection of Second Place Trophies in America) ... the natives don't laugh at that.
There are a couple of local shops that I will use as first choice if they aren't too overpriced. But one of them is too big to be bothered with special orders or checking with their suppliers ('we might have some on order, I don't know for sure') to handle products they don't normally stock. Now a firearm purchase is non-trivial to me, and I don't want to subjected to a take-it-or-leave-it attitude from a kid who only shaves on Sundays.
The vendors at the (new, big) show run the gamut from one-shot individuals (just exploiting that loophole to arm al-Quaeda with their old worn-out JC Higgins 16 gauge), to the larger traveling vendors who live on the road 45 weeks a year.
Yep, you can see an occasional NFA Type III display with commensurate price tags, but usually the biggest and baddest items are de-mil'd props (you know, like in da movies, Senator). Now a few years ago, the PC crowd used a d*mn BatMan comic book to stampede a one-gun-a-month law onto the books (which didn't push Doug Wilder onto the national political scene like he'd hoped), about as effective at stopping DC criminals as you'd expect. Earlier, at a couple of shows I actually bought more than one gun (gasp!). Closed that loophole. DC is a paradise now, yessir!
So yeah, the gun shows are worth it (one of them, 5 times a year) for me to actually see and compare various guns and such, as well as ogle the odd English double or get a close look at a Wilson Combat 1911.
Bargains? Sometimes. But some of these pieces can't be had at all in the local market (and I'm not picking on the local merchants, they stock what sells -- according to their sales history), so if it's a fair value, I'll buy at the show (wallet permitting).
The shows are a marvelous example of capitalism in action, which is why the socialists are so upset. Unrestrained (no sales tax either) sale of one's personal property - this loophole is a threat to the all-seeing all-taxing gummint. The other guys with the licenses, well they have Brady to deal with.
I attend the shows because it causes Chuck Schumer's knickers to get wadded up, even if I don't buy anything. That's a good reason, to start with.
In the 2 most recent shows in the last month I cant really say it was worth the trip. Both shows were over a 30 mile drive and my reward were the following deals of a lifetime:
(1) Kel tec p32 selling for $350.00... What a bargain!! I see these regularly at gunshops around town for under $250.00 !!
(2) Walther p22 with scope for $425.00..... Guy told me it was the best deal in town.... Yeah Right!!!!
(3) Finally after giving up for the day, I finally stumble on what seemed like a great deal. One of those Keychain laser pointers for $3.00. I think to myself "At least I can go home and taunt the cat with it! But alas, upon nightfall when I break it out of its wrapper I discover that the included batteries have long since retired... so at the store I pay $9.00 to replace them..
CAVEAT EMPTOR? You aint kiddin man!
OTOH, As atticus put it, I still had more fun than a day at work so I guess I'll live..
(1) Kel tec p32 selling for $350.00... What a bargain!! I see these regularly at gunshops around town for under $250.00 !!
(2) Walther p22 with scope for $425.00..... Guy told me it was the best deal in town.... Yeah Right!!!!
(3) Finally after giving up for the day, I finally stumble on what seemed like a great deal. One of those Keychain laser pointers for $3.00. I think to myself "At least I can go home and taunt the cat with it! But alas, upon nightfall when I break it out of its wrapper I discover that the included batteries have long since retired... so at the store I pay $9.00 to replace them..
CAVEAT EMPTOR? You aint kiddin man!
OTOH, As atticus put it, I still had more fun than a day at work so I guess I'll live..
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When you finally learn RULE ONE, you will enjoy gunshows much more.
RULE ONE: Shotgun News is for buying Guns, shows are for buying antiques, C&Rs and smalls (ammo, books, general neat stuff).
I always find something good at Texas gunshows. Have bought 8 guns (mostly C&Rs) in the last 6 months at shows. Can't count the books, ammo of various cals and little stuff I've found. The real defend yourself and your home stuff all comes thru SGN and my friendly local $20 a transfer FFL.
RULE ONE: Shotgun News is for buying Guns, shows are for buying antiques, C&Rs and smalls (ammo, books, general neat stuff).
I always find something good at Texas gunshows. Have bought 8 guns (mostly C&Rs) in the last 6 months at shows. Can't count the books, ammo of various cals and little stuff I've found. The real defend yourself and your home stuff all comes thru SGN and my friendly local $20 a transfer FFL.